Play With Your Palette and Try These Eateries With Fun Food

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Everyone knows the value in good table etiquette. Small bites, napkin on lap, and elbows off the table make for a polite, standard meal. However, every once in a while it's okay to let your hair down, throw away your fork, and have fun with your food. Here are some restaurants that are a bit more playful with their meals.

There's no shortage of dumpling options in NYC. However, one Chinatown staple has a dumpling that, if you're not careful, will bite back. Joe Shanghai's infamous soup dumplings are not for the uninitiated, as incorrectly ingesting one of these bad boys can leave you with a scalded mouth for days. But if you know the proper procedure, you'll enjoy one of the tastier and trickier dumplings in the city. And if you don't, there's a fantastically cheesy video on their website that will show you the correct way to go about it.

Syringes, nitrogen and ... ice cream? At iCream, residents of the Windy City can create their own ice cream flavor instantly. Using liquid nitrogen to speed-freeze your personal selection of dyes, extracts and flavors, this cafe creates your combination in a matter of seconds. With everything from the taste to the appearance of your dessert being customizable, the only limit to your choices is your own imagination, and whether you really feel like eating purple peanut butter ice cream.

A meal at Supperclubis not something easily explained. Incorporating art, drinks, music, a tasting menu, and you, this bayside experience is a constantly shifting cornucopia of sensory stimulation. "An evening at Supperclub has been successful when all your five senses have been tickled," says owner Ber van deer Leden. A visit here is more akin to a hallucinatory club experience than a simple meal, with performers who change their routine every night and constantly inject you into their show. But to forget their menu would be a shame, with delicious offerings for carnivores, vegetarians and vegans. Just remember to bring your glowsticks.

With dessert, it seems you're either given a little bite that's gone before you know it, or something so huge it takes a week to finish. Sweet E's has mastered the art of the mini, giving you just enough without leaving you wanting more. With creative designs and loads of options, this Beverly Hills hotspot has become a staple in L.A. Make sure to read the menu carefully, as certain options on the menu are made exclusively for your canine companion.